Officers shoot dog that turned on them after mauling another man, Colorado cops say

A dog that mauled a man, critically injuring him, tried to attack officers and was shot dead, Colorado police reported.

Neighbors told news outlets they had earlier tried to stop the attack, including one man who recounted stabbing the dog with kitchen knives.

“I hit him in the body and the torso and the dog was staggered, but he still wasn’t going down,” neighbor Shawn West told KMGH.

Officers who responded to reports of a disturbance at 8:17 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 28, found the dog “severely attacking” a man, Boulder police said in a news release.

The dog also posed a “significant risk” to onlookers, police said. After less-lethal attempts to stop the dog failed, officers shot it when it tried to attack them.

Officers applied tourniquets to the injured man, who was taken to a hospital in critical condition, police said. Officials did not provide an update on his medical condition.

Animal protection officers euthanized the dog because of the severity of its injuries, police said.

Neighbor Madeleine Gagne told KDVR she had never witnessed the dog behave aggressively before.

An investigation into the incident continues, police said.

Boulder is about 30 miles northwest of Denver.

What to know about dog attacks

“Dogs give us comfort, companionship, exercise, entertainment, and unconditional love,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. “But it’s important to remember that any dog can bite, even trusted family pets.”

Dogs bite more than 4.5 million people each year in the U.S., and nearly 800,000 of those people need medical attention, according to the CDC.

Any dog can bite if they feel scared or nervous, or if they want to be alone. You should never approach a dog that seems angry or scared, the CDC said.

If an unfamiliar dog comes up to you, officials say you should:

• Stay calm and be still.

• Avoid eye contact with the dog.

• Don’t panic or make loud noises. Don’t run.

• Say “no” or “go home” in a deep voice. Stand with the side of your body toward the dog.

• Slowly raise your hands to your neck and back away slowly.

This story was originally published January 29, 2024 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Officers shoot dog that turned on them after mauling another man, Colorado cops say."